Welcome to Texas justice: You might beat the rap, but you won't beat the ride.

Monday, June 16, 2008

Writ Writer

See this review of the public television special aired last night featuring the life and work of Fred Cruz, a legendary TDCJ "writ writer" convicted of armed robbery in 1960 who insisted upon his own innocence until his death in prison. The documentary examines Cruz's legal work on behalf of himself and (more successfully) other prisoners through the lens of interviews with those who knew him, court records and Cruz's own journals. I missed the initial airing and hope they run it again soon.

8 comments:

Anonymous
said...

Your use of the word "legendary" to describe a convict writ writer reminds me of the following...

I once asked a lawyer in south texas if she knew a certain defense attorney in her town, because a friend of mine was dating that defense attorneys daughter. That daughter had described her lawyer father as a prominent criminal defense attorney.

Upon asking my friend, she said that "if by prominent you mean lying, cheating, stealing, drug cartel embracing crook, then yes, he is a prominent lawyer."

This is a fantastic documentary, Grits! I caught the first airing and was fascinated by the history. In particular, I hadn't realized what an important role TDCJ "writ writers" or jailhouse lawyers had played in Texas prison reform.

For anon at 4:53, the documentary touches on the dissonance between a man who is a hero in prison, but just a convict on the outside. Defense attorneys are just another player in an adversarial system where everyone's ethics are tested routinely. Surely you're aware of prosecutors who also meet the definitition of a "lying, cheating, stealing, drug cartel (money!) embracing crook."

During the World War II, Art Deco jewellery was ugg sale a very popular style among women. The females started ugg boots wearing short dresses and cut their hair short. And uggs such boyish style was accessorized with Art Deco jewellery. They used cheap ugg boots long dangling earrings and necklaces, multiple bracelets and bold ugg boots uk rings.Art Deco jewellery has harshly geometric and symmetrical theme instead disocunt ugg boots of free flowing curves and naturalistic motifs. Art Deco Jewelry buy ugg boots today displays designs that consist of arcs, circles, rectangles, squares, and ugg outlet triangles. Bracelets, earrings, necklaces and rings are added with long ugg boots outlet lines and curves.One example of Art Deco jewelry is the Art Deco ring. Art Deco rings have ugg mall sophisticated sparkle and bold styles. These rings are not intended for a subtle look, they are meant to be noticed. Hence, these are perfect for people with bold styles.

Southern, daily and good for you

Grits for Breakfast looks at the Texas criminal justice system, with a little politics and whatever
else suits the author's fancy thrown in. All opinions are my own. The facts belong to everybody. Who is this guy?

"I always tell people interested in these issues that your blog is the most important news source, and have had high-ranking corrections officials tell me they read it regularly."

- Scott Medlock, Texas Civil Rights Project

"a helluva blog"

- Solomon Moore, NY Times criminal justice correspondent

"Congrats on building one of the most read and important blogs on a specific policy area that I've ever seen"

- Donald Lee, Texas Conference of Urban Counties

GFB "is a fact-packed, trustworthy reporter of the weirdness that makes up corrections and criminal law in the Lone Star State" and has "shown more naked emperors than Hans Christian Andersen ever did."

-Attorney Bob Mabry, Woodlands

"Grits really shows the potential of a single-state focused criminal law blog"

- Corey Yung, Sex Crimes Blog

"I regard Grits for Breakfast as one of the most welcome and helpful vehicles we elected officials have for understanding the problems and their solutions."

Tommy Adkisson,Bexar County Commissioner

"dude really has a pragmatic approach to crime fighting, almost like he’s some kind of statistics superhero"